Avid

Avid is the NLE tool of choice for Hollywood, Broadcast Television, Film Makers and Post Production facilities. While other NLEs may claim to be used for a few select programs, almost every Oscar and Emmy winning program was cut on an Avid. Being an Avid editor still means something, and if you want your students to have the best real world training and experiences to launch their career, you need to make sure you are teaching them Avid Media composer. I'm not saying it's the only NLE to teach them, I'm saying that if you don't teach them Avid, you are not giving them the best possible chance to be successful. Only Avid offers the collaborative tools and media management required on today's complex productions. Often involving multiple editors and post production creatives working remotely together to create the final product. In these workflows Avid is still King, and with their new announcements of Native 4K support and their new DNxHR CODEC, the future is looking brighter than ever.

See how Avid helps educators elevate student success

What does it take for students to realize their full potential? Creative teaching programs, dedicated faculty, and the power of technology. That’s why the world’s leading educators have partnered with Avid to help empower the next generation of artists and media professionals. From Pro Tools to Media Composer, our industry-standard products help students learn real-world skills to maximize their career opportunities

One of the things that I think has been overlooked this past year with Avid's Everywhere initiative and the new 'flavors' of Media Composer (see our Avid Guide to the new Media Composer |Software for complete details) is how ridiculously affordable Avid is now for students, teachers, educators and Academic institutions. Let's review all the great options Avid has given students and educators:

Never before has it been so easy and so affordable to get started with Avid. Whether you are a student, teacher or the guy/gal who runs your schools technology department, our knowledgeable sales staff is here to help guide you. We will take the time to make sure you have the computer system in place to handle your HD projects and workflows. We'll also provide you recommendations for upgrades. plug-ins, storage and third party hardware to make your Avid even more efficient and powerful.

Avid Media Composer | Software is the industry’s leading professional film and video editing system.

Certified by American Cinema Editors (ACE), Media Composer enables educators to help students become proficient with the same tools they’ll use as professional editors. From student films and projects, and on to TV shows, broadcast journalism, commercials, and big-budget films, Media Composer empowers students with the editorial skills and edge they need to jumpstart a successful career.

Top 7 Reasons to Get Media Composer | Software for Education

1. Accelerate high-res and file-based workflows
Get powerful 64-bit performance and experience the “waitless” workflow. Instantly access and edit RED, ARRI ALEXA, QuickTime, ProRes, AVCHD, XDCAM, and other file-based media—without transcoding. Accelerate HD delivery from high-res 2K, 4K, and 5K sources, with full creative control of image framing. Mix and match media formats, frame rates, and more in real time. And get more time to perfect your story by automating media management tasks in the background.

2. Extend real-time production everywhere
Sometimes the best talent or cost-effective solution is on the other side of the world. With support for Media Composer | Cloud (formerly Interplay® Sphere) you can edit, share, tag, track, and sync media as it flows through the production process from everywhere in the world.

3. Get the look you want
Create stunning visuals using the huge collection of built-in tools and stereoscopic 3D workflows. From effects and transitions, to tools for color correction, motion tracking, keying, compositing, and creating titles, you have everything you need to create and deliver your best stories.

4. Create and mix sound
Media Composer offers the most comprehensive audio toolset of any editing software. Create and mix soundtracks in up to 7.1 surround. Polish mixes using the same professional plug-ins that come with Pro Tools®. And integrate workflows directly with Pro Tools mixers

5. Work the way you want
Work with a video interface for capture/monitoring or without for on-the-go editing. Tape-based or file-based editing.

6. Edit like a pro on a student budget
To help empower the next generation of successful editors, college students, educators, and schools can get a significant discount on Media Composer for education. In addition, all Media Composer subscriptions and purchases come with one year of standard Avid Support and software updates/ upgrades to keep you on the cutting edge throughout your studies.

7. Get the help you need
Our goal is to help students succeed. That’s why we offer several resources to help you learn and grow in the industry. Accelerate your skills with Avid Training and Certification programs. Get help from our staff and other editors in the Avid forums. And find helpful tips, tutorials, and other great resources across our website.

Videoguys now offers HP z workstations! We've worked hard with the folks over at HP to put together some fantastic configurations at super price points. PLUS you can give us a call 800-323-2325 and we can custom configure the perfect Z workstation to meet your video editing and production needs and workflows!

At NAB2014 Avid announced that editors would now have several choices on how they can purchase Media Composer. Since then it has created some levels of confusion. Videoguys has put together a detailed FAQ with explainer videos to help you better understand your options. This guide is intended as an overview to quickly help you understand the differences.

If you still have any questions, give us call 800-323-2325 and we'll be happy to review your options and make sure you get the best flavor of Media Composer to fit your budget and needs. Speaking of budgets, if you are an educational facility, you have to look into Avid's 20 & 50 seat floating license packs. This is an incredible way to deploy Avid in several classrooms or labs as needed, while maximizing your investment / budget dollars.

Just as we were able to guide and lead the industry when DV, DVD authoring, HDV, Blu-ray, & HD workflows were first introduced, we are here to help you understand the latest advancements and solutions for live event streaming. We have a wide range of affordable solutions available to you, some that require computers & some that don't. For r advanced users, organizations and professionals we offer the Newtk Tricaster line of multi-camera live production and streaming solutions with advanced feature like virtual sets, broadcast quality graphics, and so much more!

We have also partnered with StreamVu to offer you affordable streaming on a fixed monthly budget. StreamVu is the most dynamic Value Added CDN on the market today. With ease of use technology designed to meet the needs of beginners and broadcast professionals alike the StreamVu service delivers high quality video at scalable, cost effective pricing.

Whether you are producing worship services, youth events, weddings or concerts, the Roland VR Series allows you to mix video and computer sources together with multi-channel audio sources to create a production that is ready for live event, webcasting or recording via simple USB connection to your Mac or PC. The VR Series AV Mixers are feature rich allowing you to use them as the main mixer or simply use as a webcasting or recording mixer taking feeds from your existing AV production equipment. We offer a range of VR models depending on your church needs and budget.

Attention Schools, Organizations, Government Agencies, and House of Worship:
Call us to see if you qualify for a 5% discount on all Roland products!

G-Technology's roots are deeply ingrained in delivering premium storage solutions for audio/video production, photography and the professional content creation market. From storing, transferring, editing and distributing content, G-Technology makes the workflow simpler, better and faster. G-Technology's high-performance portable and desktop drives, flexible transfer/edit solutions and fast RAID systems are all built for professional content creation environments where performance and reliability are paramount. Because G-Technology holds itself to the highest standards, its products can be found in premiere post-production facilities worldwide.

Videoguys not only offers you great prices on the best selling and highest performing G-Tech drives, we've also put together a bunch of bundles with NLE software and plug-ins that give you even greater savings!

Check out the Videos on our YouTube Channel!

We've been producing a series of Video Tutorials with Streaming Media Producer that have now been posted on our YouTube Channel. These videos offer you comprehensive introduction to some of the hottest new products. Sponsored by Videoguys each video features an industry expert, giving you an overview of the product and walking you through getting started.

We've also creating some videos here at the Videoguys home offices. Learn more about our system recommendations for you NLE workstation, picking the best storage for video editing and the various flavors of the new Avid Media Composer.

Have a great summer.
Don't forget to use coupon COW5OFF to get 5% off on your next order!

At NAB2014 Avid announced that editors would now have several choices on how they can purchase Media Composer. Avid has now released the latest version (MC8.0) in all the new licensing options. Videoguys has put together a detailed FAQ with explainer videos to help you better understand your options. This blog post is intended as an overview to quickly help you understand the differences.

The key differentiators between the various flavors of licensing is the included 3rd party and Avid software. All prices in this post are MSRP.

Let's start with existing Avid Editors.

If you already own a version of Media Composer or Symphony you will be able to upgrade for $299.

What you will purchase for $299 is NOT an upgrade, it is an annual support package that includes free upgrades, updates and patches for a year. There are two flavors of this annual support contract, one for Media Composer owners and one for Symphony owners. The annual support package does not include any 3rd party software, but you can keep using the 3rd party software you already own, although you may require an upgrade from the 3rd party software vendor.

Avid is giving existing MC & Symphony owners until Dec 31st, 2014 to purchase an annual support plan. If you do not purchase a support plan by then, you will not be able to upgrade your software without buying a new perpetual license. If at any time you decide to stop buying support, you will still own your perpetual license along with any and all upgrades you downloaded and installed while under your support contract.

You can use activation or your existing dongle when you upgrade under your annual support contract. Avid will allow you to run MC 6.5, 7 or 8 with an updated dongle. Activation will support MC 8 and the previous version MC7.

If you wish to upgrade from Media Composer to Symphony you can purchase the Symphony option for $749. The Symphony option now includes Boris Continuum Lite, not the full Continuum Complete.

Note: Avid ScriptSync and PhraseFind will initially will not be supported in the new MC8. Avid is still negotiating with the software vendors and hopefully something will be worked out in the near future. For now we still have both ScriptSync & PhraseFind available to purchase for use with your existing MC 7 or earlier software.

Avid Subscription vs Perpetual Licensing

New Avid editors have two choices on how they can purchase Media Composer. You can still own the software by purchasing it for $1,299. This higher price includes you first year annual support contract as well. So if you purchase today, you would be eligible for any and all upgrades released for the next 12 months. Unfortunately Avid has significantly reduced the 3rd party software now shipping with Media Composer. The perpetual license only includes NewBlue Titler Pro v1, along with trial versions to Sorenson Squeeze Lite and iZotope Insight. Avid FX, Avid DVD and the full version of Sorenson Squeeze Standard are no longer included.

You can purchase the Avid Production Pack for $599 which gives you New Blue Titler v2, Sorenson Squeeze Standard and iZotope Insight. Not a bad value, but still no Avid FX. If you want that you'll have to purchase it as Boris Red directly from Boris FX.

The new $599 Avid Subscription plan is a fantastic value.

For $599 per year you can subscibe to Avid Media Composer, and you also get the Symphony option! That's right, for less then $50 per month your Media Composer subscription includes the Avid Symphony option plus a much better suite of 3rd party software. You get New Blue Titler v2, Sorenson Squeeze Lite, Boris Continuum Lite and a 30 day trail to iZotope Insight. You also get a year of Avid support which entitles you to all upgrades and updates. Avid also offers a more expensive monthly subscription for $74.99 per month, which is only available directly from Avid.

Note: You can't subscribe to an older version of Media Composer, all subscriptions are Media Composer 8. Updates are not automatic, you decide which future updates/upgrades you wish to download and when to install them.

Student and academic Options

Students can subscribe to Media Composer for just $119 per year.

Academic Institutions can subscribe for $479 per year. If you already own an Avid Student version and you are beyond your 4 years of free upgrades you can purchase an annual student support package for just $99. Students and educational facilities can still purchase Media Composer for $295 which now includes just the first year's annual support contract - you will have to purchase a student support contract for any upgrades beyond the first year. Avid also has some fantastic floating license deals for Academic Institutions that makes deploying Avid easier and more cost effective than ever.

Floating Licenses

Avid has also introduced a new option for facilities called floating licenses. You can purchase these as a pack of 20 or 50 licenses. Each pack also includes floating license server software which allows you to manage and deploy your seats as you wish. With a floating license server you can install Avid on as many machines as you like throughout your organization. The server then controls how many people can be using the software concurrently. With a 20 seat floating license you can have up to 20 users at a time. If you need to have more than 20 you would need to purchase another 20 pack or upgrade to a 50 pack. 20 & 50 packs are all that Avid initially will offer, but they may offer smaller add-on packs in the future.

Note: Floating Licenses are for MC8 only. Just as with subscriptions, you can't have a floating license for previous versions.

We have special pricing for converting your current facility to floating licensing and for academic institutions. For more information on Floating licenses and pricing please give us a call and a member of our Avid expert sales team will help advise you on the right configuration to fit your needs.

Avid Media Composer | Software is now available in 3 license types making it the perfect professional editing solution for everyone.

One of the big announcements at NAB from Avid is that customers will have the choice to have Media Composer their way. You can still own a perpetual license that together with an annual support contract will entitle you to all upgrades, for free, during the support contract. With new monthly and annual Media Composer subscription options, customers can now gain access to the latest Media Composer toolset, support, and upgrades. They also announced a new Software floating licensing for large-scale media enterprises, post-production houses, and educational institutions, making it possible to purchase a “pack” of shared licenses to deploy facility-wide using a single system ID.

As you can imagine, it all can get quite confusing, which is why Videoguys put together this FAQ & YouTube videos to boil it all down for you and help you better understand your options for the next release of Media Composer, version 8, expected later this spring.

This guide & videos are for the next version of Avid Media Composer | Software was compiled on April 15th based on the information announced at the NAB Show 2014 and available from Avid after the show. We expect that some of this information may change before the new software is introduced. The next version of Avid Media Composer | Software is expected to be released in mid May 2014. Stay tuned for updates...

ATTN APPLE Final Cut Pro users:
NOW is the TIME to learn Avid Media Composer 7

Are you still editing on FCP7? Are you still wasting hours upon hours logging & transferring or MPEG Stream clipping your file based HD footage into HD before you can even start editing? Still making due with clunky work-arounds that allow you to struggle through your projects, without any of the benefits of today's more efficient tapeless workflows?

While FCP7 is a dear old friend, it's time to realize that while it may have been a great choice a few years ago, it's time has come and gone. The unfortunate reality is that FCP7 can't tap into the power and performance of today's iMacs (or Mac Mini), let alone the brand new Mac Pro's. How much longer can you keep holding your business and your creativity back by sticking with FCP7? Now is the Time to learn Avid Media Composer and become an Avid editor.

Whether you’ve used Avid before or if you’ve just always been a Final Cut editor making the move to Media Composer 7 is not as hard as you think. You are not “starting over” by purchasing Media Composer 7. Your skills, workflows, media, and even sequences are directly translatable to the MC7 environment, making the move the fast and easy. This is the whole underpinning of the Get Started Fast with Avid for Final Cut Pro 7 Editors tutorial series mentioned in this guide.

Avid invented non linear editing

Not only did Avid invent non linear editing over 25 years ago, they remain the only company that is 100% focused on the needs of video and audio editors. When you watch a Hollywood movie; or a television drama, sitcom or reality show; or a documentary or news report - the odds are it was edited by an editor using Avid Media Composer. Over 85% of what you watch at home or in the movie theater was cut on Avid. As a result, Avid sets a standard for workflow efficiency and stability that must meet the rigors of broadcasters and Hollywood studios. Did you know that all of movies nominated for an Oscar last year used Avid products as an integral part of their post- production workflows? They did and I'm sure it will be the same this year as well. This means that when you edit with Avid Media Composer you too get that same level of professional performance and rock solid stability. No other NLE comes close to providing the tools and workgroup collaboration that Media Composer does.

Upgrade to Avid Media Composer 6.5 for just $488 and get a FREE Upgrade to Media Composer 7 when you order before 6/14/13 at Videoguys.com
PLUS FREE Class On Demand Training!

Did you ever edit with Avid Xpress DV or Avid Xpress Pro? Perhaps you moved on to Final Cut or Premiere Pro or another NLE over the years and your Xpress DV or Xpress Pro Dongle is sitting around collecting dust. If you still have the dongle, Avid wants you back. Avid is offering you one last chance to upgrade to Media Composer for under $500!

Not only do you get Avid Media Composer 6.5 Upgrade for just $488, which is the editing application used by the pro’s, Avid will also give you a free upgrade to the new Media Composer 7 when it ships later this June.

Videoguys realizes that a lot has changed over the years, so we're going to give you free Avid on-line training from Class on Demand worth another $129!

Let's talk a bit about how much Avid has changed over the years. First and foremost, Avid Media Composer is very affordable. At NAB this past April 2013, Avid not only announced the new version, they also announced the new MSRP for Media Composer 7 at $999, and that existing Media Composer owners would be able to upgrade for as little as $299 to Media Composer 7. That is a dramatic pricing change and it makes Media Composer affordable for video editors of every level, including event cinematographers, independent filmmakers, worship videographers, corporate video shops and online media producers.

Avid is still offering college students the chance to purchase the Student version of Media Composer for just $295 with 4 years of free upgrades. Institutions and faculty can also take advantage of the $295 price point.

In addition to its new low price, Avid Media Composer now has a much lower overall total cost of ownership. You do not require an expensive HP/Dell workstation or Mac Pro to edit video with Media Composer. Thousands of video editors all over the world are editing video using our DIY builds as a guideline for putting together a powerful, yet affordable Windows PC. You can edit on a laptop or Mac Book Pro, as well as an iMac. Media Composer does not require any special hardware to run just as long as you stick to the basic requirements outlined on the Media Composer Product Pages or on the Videoguys' PC & Mac System Recommendations for Avid Media Composer 7

The major determining factor on how much computer you will actually need is the format of your source footage (SD or HD). Editing DSLR, GoPro or AVCHD footage takes a lot of horsepower because these formats are very compressed. The video quality is spectacular but you need a powerful computer to work with the media. Fortunately, you can find these powerful computers everywhere today.

We had a great NAB show, and we picked up some really exciting new products. We'll go into that in more detail in this newsletter.

First, I'd like to thank you all for your patronage and support over the years. We know we would not be where we are today without you, our loyal customers. In the past, I've run a special coupon INSIDER5 that extended a 5% instant rebate on your next order. Not only have I reactivated this coupon, I've made it even stronger. I've added FREE Super Saver Shipping to it. So know you can save 5% and get FREE shipping with coupon INSIDER5 on all orders placed on or before May 31st!
5% OFF and get FREE shipping with coupon INSIDER5 on all orders placed on or before May 31st

Videoguys NAB 2013 report

Wow! I wasn't expecting this year's NAB to be so exciting. Our industry has gotten mature and so have the products. But, from the start of our dealer meetings on Sunday, I could tell that something big was happening, not a huge tidal wave of change, but several big waves rolling in one after another that would have a dramatic impact on the future of our industry. Each of these waves on their own is interesting. When you look at the convergence that is going on it adds up to very important and powerful changes that will shape the future of content creation Click here for both Part 1: An Industry In Transition & Part 2: Top Products from the Show http://tinyurl.com/cp69skr

AT NAB Avid announced a new version of Media Composer is coming in June and they lowered the MSRP for Media Composer to $995! They also lowered the cost of upgrades and even better, they are giving you a FREE upgrade to version 7 if you purchase Media Composer or Symphony today!
In this FAQ we tell you all about the new features, as well as some reasons you want to become or go back to being an Avid Editor.http://tinyurl.com/cyx3vhv

Videoguys' Guide to Adobe Creative Cloud for Teams

Imagine if your team always had the best tools. Imagine if they could save time by seamlessly sharing files from any device. That’s Adobe Creative Cloud for teams. You get the entire collection of Adobe creative tools and exclusive updates, along with lots of team-specific features that make working together — and managing licenses — easier than ever. All for one affordable subscription price.

In this FAQ we explain what the advantages are of Adobe Creative Cloud for Teams and we try to dispel some of the myths and distortions about the Adobe Creative Cloud subscription model. http://tinyurl.com/cpzqxa4

We've added a bunch of new Live Steaming Products:

Newtek TriCaster 40 & 455 in stock!

All-in-one, integrated live production system that offers the power of a live network studio. When paired with live streaming over the Web, anyone can create and share a professional TV show. Students, premiere broadcast networks, major league sports networks and teams, along with some of the world’s biggest corporations—all use TriCaster to produce and stream live events, and expand their audiences, faster than ever before.

The NewTek family of TriCaster products integrates everything you need into a single, elegant, cost-effective and easy-to-use system so you’ll never have to buy and install separate components. With TriCaster in your studio, school, business or mobile van, you’ll spend more time bringing your creative ideas to life, and less time worrying if things will actually work. http://tinyurl.com/c4zgbr7

As a pioneer of IP video devices, Teradek creates highly versatile encoders and accompanying transmission systems for live HD video broadcasting over WiFi, Ethernet, and 3G/4G networks. Since 2008, Teradek products have been utilized by video professionals in cinema, broadcast news, professional sports, government, and higher education. All Teradek products are designed and manufactured in Orange County, California and are distributed worldwide.

The Teradek Bolt is a latency-free wireless transmission system that sends 4:2:2, 1080p60 video at up to 300ft. Bolt comes in two varieties; the unicast Bolt and the multicast Bolt Pro. Bolt pricing starts at $1,490

The Teradek VidiU gives you the freedom to broadcast live high definition video directly to the Web without a PC. Whether you’re streaming out of a video switcher or wirelessly from your camera, VidiU allows you to go live when you want, where you want. VidiU is in stock and on sale for $679

Matrox Monarch HD coming in June!

The Monarch was one of the biggest hits at the NAB show. The Monarch HD streaming and recording appliance was chosen for Best of NAB Award by StreamingMedia.com, Black Diamond Award by Digital Video magazine, STAR Award by TV Technology magazine and Video Innovation Award (VIA) by BCPVA.com

From any HDMI input source such as a camera or switcher, Matrox Monarch HD generates an H.264-encoded stream compliant with RTSP or RTMP protocol.
While encoding the video at bitrates suitable for live streaming, Matrox Monarch HD simultaneously records a high-quality MP4 file to an SD card, a USB drive, or a network-mapped drive. Matrox Monarch HD is remotely controlled using any computer or mobile device with a web browser.

Once again, we want to thank you for your patronage and support. If you should run into any issues with our website, please let us know about it.
Call 800 323-2325 and ask for Jim. We hope you'll be ordering soon! Don't forget to use coupon INSIDER5 and get:

5% OFF and get FREE shipping with coupon INSIDER5 on all orders placed on or before May 31st

Videoguys.com is your source for great deals on video editing software, hardware, storage, plug-ins and more!!

Videoguys.com is your source for Avid Media Composer & Symphony, Sony Vegas Pro, Grass Valley Edius and the Adobe Creative Cloud for Teams. Please call our NLE experts at 800-323-2325 with any questions you have about your upgrade/crossgrade eligibility, computer system requirements, video storage and your workflows. We'll help you make the right choice, and we'll make sure you have the right hardware to run your new software.

Whether you’re a home user, hobbiest or prosumer; Event Videographer/ Cinematographer or Indie Filmmaker; a professional in a Broadcast facility or Post house; our knowledgeable Videoguys sale team is available to answer all of your questions before, during, and after the sale. We’ll even stand behind our recommendations with a 30-day money-back guarantee and FREE tech support – a customer service policy unmatched in the industry!

Do you have questions about video editing & production or any of our products?
Call us for knowledgeable advice and fantastic bundle deals and check out our guides and blog posts for system recommendations, FAQs, tech tips, reviews & more

We still have Media Composer Crossgrades and Symphony upgrades in stock. We’re promoting them at $949 with a free Class On Demand training card. We've also got some great bundles with Nitris DX hardware and Avid Artist Color.

Got Final Cut? Crossgrade to Avid Media Composer 6.5 for $949.00 while supplies last

When it comes to editing, today’s professionals need the right tools that enable them to work with any type of media, complete every facet of a project, and eliminate bottlenecks, so they can focus on their storytelling. With Media Composer, you have a complete, reliable solution that not only complements your existing workflow, it enables you to do more—faster.

ATTN Avid Editors: Upgrade to Avid Symphony 6.5 for $949.00 while supplies last

You probably know Media Composer, but did you know that Avid Symphony is identical to it, with all of the same tools and features, plus advanced color correction and Boris Continuum Complete (which retails alone for double the price of this offer)? And when paired with a Nitris DX interface, Symphony offers Universal Mastering for easy multiformat delivery.

Save up to 50% OFF Avid Symphony Bundles with Nitris DX Hardware

For a limited time, save $6,000 (USD) when your purchase Symphony with one year of Avid Expert Plus Support and a Nitris DX interface: Avid Symphony 6.5 with Avid Nitris DX $7,999; Avid Symphony 6.5 Upgrade with Nitris DX $4,999

Avid Artist Color is a Color Grading Control Surface with trackballs, trackwheels, encoders and more to provide colorists with interactive, hands-on control and a host of programmable keys in a slim-line design. (On Sale $1,399, reg $1,666.00). Media Composer 6.5 Crossgrade with Artist Color or Symphony 6.5 Upgrade with Artist Color $2,225

We've put together this little FAQ to help you better understand Avid's professional editing software, the promotions being offered by Avid, and the amazing bundle specials available now until December 14, 2012.

- FCP owners can crossgrade to Avid Media Composer for $979
- Avid editors can upgrade to Avid Symphony for $979, or upgrade to Symphony Nitris DX for $4,999

Before we get into the promotions I wanted to take some time to congratulate Avid on 25 years and highlight this amazing accomplishment! Twenty Five years as a technology leader is an awesome accomplishment and something that should be celebrated. Before Avid, you couldn't cut movies or video digitally. It was all done mechanically by cutting and splicing film together. Now, all you have to do is drag and drop the files into our computer, edit them, add special effects, filters, titles, graphics, just about anything you can imagine, you can create. None of this would be possible if it had not been for Avid, and nothing works better for today's workflows then Avid Media Composer and Symphony!

Today we have a new generation of HD cameras that shoot 2K & 4K video approaching the quality of film. We have small digital HD cameras like the GoPro Hero and Contour HD. W, we have new tapeless workflows and other advancements that have all revolutionized video editing. Avid is committed as ever to professional workflows and the needs of post production facilities, broadcast and cable television stations, independent film makers, and anyone trying to make a living editing and producing content. It all started with Avid. Many of you started with Avid. It's time to come back home.

Videoguys has been around for over 25 years as well, and we've been an Avid partner since 2000 when we met with Alan from Avid at the DV Magazine Expo in Pasadena. We spoke with Alan about a new product Avid was working on called Avid Xpress DV. We loved it and we knew we could sell a bunch of it (which we did ;-). Then, as they say, the rest is history...

[h3]Avid's Special 25th Anniversary Promotions EXPIRE DECEMBER 14TH!! We've got the answers to your questions so you can order TODAY![/h3]

Avid listens to their customers.
A few years ago Avid did something unprecedented in our industry that many editors may have forgotten about, They took their show on the road. Actually it wasn't a road show, it was their top management, visiting with post houses, pro editors, indy film makers and user groups. They asked what needed to be fixed and they asked for honest feedback. They sure got it! What did Avid do with this info? They used it to make their products better - dramatically better!!

Media Composer 5 with AMA and Mixed Format timelines
When Avid introduced MC5 two years ago at NAB, they took the show by storm. All the buzz was that Avid was back, and they were right. They had taken their leadership position back with the industries most powerful tapeless HD workflows. With AMA, MC5 unleashed the ability to edit HD formats natively including XD Cam, P2, DSLR footage, DNxHD and even ProRes. That's right editors could now edit Apple ProRes files natively on the Avid timeline. No transcoding, no re-wrapping, no file conversions - just bring it in and edit. Even better you can Mix & Match various HD formats, CODECs and even frame rates on the same timeline!

Opening up to 3rd party Hardware
Two years ago Avid announced support for the Matrox MXO2 Mini for HD previews from the Media Composer timeline. At last NAB they announced support for the AJA Io Express and the MXO2 Mini with MAX. More hardware support is on the way - its no longer a matter of if, but of when. With the current state of the NLE market, I expect that when just got a whole lot closer!!

Last year Avid purchased Euphonix and now the Artist Series of controllers and control surfaces work perfectly with Media Composer and ProTools. The Avid universe keeps expanding. While Media Composer ships with a very nice suite of 3rd party plug-ins, you can use many more.

Media Composer Crossgrade - get the full MC5.5 Suite for under $1,000!
With the competitive landscape shifting and changing, Avid decided that they had had enough. Avid's business is Video Editing and Content creation. They are not a consumer electronics company, they make products for every level of content creation, and they know their bread and butter business is Professional Editors. The people who make a living and feed their families creating video. It was time to get you back, and boy does Avid have an offer for you. Crossgrade to Media Composer for $995. Just provide your proof of FCP ownership and you're back with Avid. The company that understands your workflows, values your skills, appreciates the work you do, and wants you as a customer for life. Now who can argue with that?!?

If you are a Final Cut Pro editor, unless you've been living in a cave up in the hills, you have heard all the hype about FCPX, the next generation of Final Cut Pro. I'm intentionally not calling the product Final Cut Pro ver 10, because it isn't a next version of Final Cut at all. It is a completely new application. They could have called it Norman or Wolf or Orange, because it is a brand new editing app called FCPX. When it ships it will be version 1.0 of FCPX, and with it will come all the bumps, hiccups, work-arounds and compatibility issues that every 1.0 software release encounters.

This is not to knock Apple or FCPX. I raved about the FCPX Sneak Peak in our NAB report. And, like millions of you, I will buy and download it from the App store as soon as it is released. But, I do not have any illusions or false hopes about what to expect. It's going to be a fantastic new tool to play with but I would NEVER expect it to replace Final Cut Pro right out of the gate. I do not expect it to work with my capture hardware, my plug-ins or even my existing projects. Apple's silence says it all for me. Apple won't say they'll work so why should anyone think otherwise. That is simply an unreasonable assumption. As great as Apple is, and as brilliant as their engineers are, you simply can't expect it to be able to replace or even improve your existing video editing workflows on day one. I'd love to download FCPX and to have my MXO2 Mini, and my Boris and Red Giant plug-ins work, but my gut tells me different - IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!

So what is a poor FCP editor to do? We suggest you follow these 4 easy steps:

Step 1: Purchase and Download FCPX when Apple makes it available.

For $299 I think it's a pretty safe bet you are going to find enough goodness in it to justify the expense. In fact, I'm pretty sure many of you will LOVE it. But I can also guarantee that a sizable amount of Final Cut Pro editors will hate it. You won't know until you try it, but don't expect it to take your current NLE workflow to the next level, not right away. Be prepared that most, if not all of your 3rd party hardware, software, plug-ins and other parts critical to your current FCP workflow, will not work correctly upon initial release. I'm sure they will eventually, just not on version 1.0

Step 2: Keep using the current and final version of Final Cut Pro.

Even though it's the last version and we know we'll be saying goodbye to an old friend, it doesn't magically stop working for you just because Apple launched a new NLE called FCPX. If your current FCP workflow is getting the job done, you have no need to switch to FCPX or any other NLE at this time. But, let's be honest, as much as we love Final Cut Pro, we know that there are some things that other NLEs now do better (including FCPX). Since Apple has moved on to FCPX, we will never see stuff like native format support for AVCHD or other HD formats, we won't get true 64-bit computing or GPU acceleration or the ability to fully utilize all the RAM and cores in our current Mac Pro. Yes, FCPX will have it, but it's not going to happen for Final Cut Pro and we know you have a lot of time, money, equipment, and other resources invested in Final Cut. So what other options do you have? Step 3: Consider your alternatives. Give Avid and Adobe another look and consider adding one (or both) while they are looking to entice Final Cut Editors like you with special promotions.

Avid Media Composer 5.5

Check out Avid Media Composer. Download the trial version here . If you like it, Avid is now offering a Final Cut Owners the opportunity to "crossgrade" to Media Composer for just $975! But Hurry! This offer expires June 17th, 2011. You don't have to give up your current Final Cut Pro, you just have to prove you own it. Even better ,you don't just get Media Composer, you get the full Production Suite of 3rd party software!!

I know many of you left Avid for Final Cut. But remember why you left Avid. You left because it was too expensive and it didn't support affordable 3rd party I/O hardware.

Well a lot has changed over the past couple of years. Avid now supports 3rd party hardware. Although it's limited to the Matrox MXO2 Mini, MXO2 Mini with MAX and the AJA Io Express, Avid has said repeatedly that they are committed to becoming even more open and that support for the rest of the Matrox & AJA hardware is just a matter of time. It's no longer a question of if, but when - and I think FCPX has sharply accelerated that timetable.

Adobe CS5.5 Production Premium

Check out Adobe CS5.5 Production Premium and Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5. Download the trial version here. If you are a video editor you most likely own and use Adobe products all the time. Photoshop and After Effects are two tools most editors and videographers depend on, day in and day out. Like Avid, Adobe is going to make you a fantastic offer to Final Cut owners on their point-product upgrade to Adobe CS5.5 Production Premium Since you already own one of their point products (Premiere, Premiere Pro, After Effects CS or Photoshop CS) and you own Final Cut, you can upgrade to the full Production Premium for just $799 now through June 30th, 2011.

Now lets talk about Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 and how far it has come over the past few years. This is not your father's Premiere, or the Premiere you may remember from even five years ago. Premiere Pro is a screaming fast 64-bit, multi-threaded, GPU accelerated, native format eating, video editing monster. No other NLE before or since taps into the power and performance of today's computers like Premiere Pro CS5.5 and the Mercury playback engine. The Mercury Engine allows you to work with multiple layers of HD footage in their native file formats in real-time. AVCHD, DSLR, RED, P2 are all no problem. Mix & match them in your timeline, with multiple layers of video, filters and effects. Hit the spacebar and watch it play. Full speed, full resolution. If you have an AJA Kona card or Matrox MXO2 you get full speed, full res, HD output straight from the timeline.

Step 4: Edit, make videos, make money!

Competition is good. The big winner is you. Thanks to FCPX you now have more affordable options than ever. We don't have to crown a champion in this NLE war, because you, the editor get to wear the TRIPLE CROWN!

Do the math. FCPX $299, Avid Media Composer 5.5 $995, Adobe CS5.5 Production Premium $799. For under $2,000 you now have the ultimate collection with all of the very best tools available on the market, all working side by side on your Mac Pro, or MacBook Pro or one of those sexy new iMacs with Thunderbolt. As for your old reliable FCP - it still keeps on chugging. Now you can use whichever tool is best for the job, and you can work on projects no matter who started them or what NLE the client or producer thinks is best. You won't ever loose a job or miss an opportunity because your edit suite has no limits or boundaries. Any format, any NLE, any project - you have no technical limitations - the only thing stopping you is you're own creativity and imagination.